Flying-machine.



G. H.CURT1SS.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE23. 1910.

Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

LQQ SQ 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wanes it ALA-LL- GLENN 1.". CUB/PISS, U3 EEAMMONDSPQBT, NEW YORK,ASSIGNOR 'TO CURTISS AERO- & IIZQTQR CQRPORATIUN, A GORPORATION OF NEWYOMQZ.

FLYING-MACHINE.

Application filed June 23, 1910. Serial No. 568,425.

T 0 ct u 7mm it may 0001mm:

Be it known that I, GLENN H. Conrrss, a: citizen ofthe United gtates,residing at Hammondsport, New York, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Flying-Machines, of which the following is a clear,full, and exact description.

My invention relates to a flying machine and is particularly applicableto an aeroplane or heavier-than-air machine, and it consists of certainnovel parts and combinations of parts specified in the claims concludingthese specifications.

My invention may be embodied in a va riety of forms, but in the drawingsI have illustrated as embodiments thereof those forms which 1 nowprefer.

In the forms illustrated in the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of aflying machine of the Curtiss type,parts which are immaterial to thepresent invention being omitted, such as the rear vertical rudder andthe front horizontal rudder. The balancing surfaces are shown as movedto their equilibrium-restoring position; Fig. 2 is a sectional view onthe line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow just abovethe upper main supporting surface 1-, Fig. 3 is an enlarged top planview of tie shoulder frame and equalizing device;

Fig. is an enlarged detail of the balancing v surfaces, showing how theymay shift without changing the angle between them; Fig. 5 is an enlargedfront elevation of the shoulder frame and equalizing device of Figs 2 ifthe balancing surfaces shi the dotted-line to the full-line positionsshown in Fig. 4-; Fig. 6 is a detail of a modification; and Fig. lar toFig. 2 but showing a further modified arrangement.

The machine shown is heavier-than-air machine of the biplane type, 1 and2 being the upperand lower main supporting surfaces. The balancingsurfaces are preferably independent of the main supporting surfaces, andare shown as two similar flat ailerons 3 and t, one at each side of themachine, and pivoted at 3 and P to the connecting struts 5, 5, betweenthe two main supporting surfaces.

and 'Z are supports which hold the rudders respectively and front andwhich it is not n cessary illustrate.

t from i 7 is a rear view simi- 9 is the seat for the operator.

X, in Figs. 1 and 4, represents the normal 'rush of air toward themachine.

In the embodimentshown in the drawings, it is desired to tilt themachine baclr to normal horizontal, the balancing surface at thedepressed side is thrown down so that the rush of air strikes it at apositive .of incidence in order to create lifting effect on that side,and the other balancing surface thrown up to a negative angle to createa depressing effect. In my machines up to this time this has been doneby the operator, and although I do not limit myself to movement thereofby the operator, 1 prefer to move the balancing surfaces in this way,and have so illustrated my invention in the drawings. As one means ofsimultaneously presenting and holding the balancing surfaces at oppositeangles of incidence, l have provided a movable shoulder frame 8 whichincloses the operators shoulders and which operates the wires 11, 11, 12and 1%, which run over stationary pulleys 13 to 26 and are attached tothe rear edges of the balancing surfaces. The shoulder frame isconnected to the seat 9 by rods or bars 10, which are pivoted at 10 and1H, and the wires are preferably so arranged that when the operatorleans toward the uptilted side of the machine, the limlancing surfaceswill be thrown in opposite directions so as to present them oppositeangles of incidence, with theone on the depressed side at a negativeangle. and the one on the elevated side at a positive angle. This willaccomplish the restoration of equilibrium.

In order to insure exactly equal resistance to the forward movement ofthe machine at the opposite sides under the various conditions ofoperation, 1 preferably employ pressure equalizers which. are, inv

the embodiment illustrated, attached to the wires operating the aileronswhich equalizers. may be of any suitable construction, such, forexample, as the whiflietrees 27, 28 shown in Figs. 2 and 5, or thesingle whittletree' 31 shown in- Fi 7, or the pulleys 27 28 shown inFig. 6. It will he observed that in either case, with the constructionand arrangement of parts shown, the ailerons'will, when idle, (beforethe shoulder is moved) always be in the stream line and therefore Whollyinactive; and that when they are operated in balancing the machine" theretarding force exerted by the aileron on one side of the machine .actsthrough a .whiffietree or pulley, or other suitable equalizing device,directly opposed to the retarding force exerted by the aileron on theother side of the machine, so that these forces must always be exactlyequal, since, should from any cause a tendency to inequality exist byreason of the ailerons presenting unequal angles of'incidence. to theair, the whflfletree or pulley will turn sufficiently to permit theailerons at the two sides to shift slightly in the same angulardirection until they present exactly equal angles of incidence to the.air and, hence, to prevent any possible turning tendency of the machinearound a vertical axis, even such as would be negligible andimperceptible in the operation of the machine.- v

I am aware that many variations of construction may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention as claimed,

and I therefore do not limit myself to the.

construction heretofore'described and illustrated in the drawings.

What I claim is 1 1. A flying machine comprising a balancing surface ateach side thereof the angle "of members in the same direction to movesaid surfaces in opposite directions.

2. A'flying machine comprising a balancing-surface at each side thereofthe angle 'of incidence of which may be varied and which is pivotedforward of its center of pressure, a two-part flexible connection foroperating said surfaces, an equalizing mem-.

ber interpolated in the connection for moving one ofsaid surfaces up andthe other down, a second equalizing member interpolated in theconnection for moving said first mentioned surface down and the otherup, said members being free for equalizing motion in response to variedair pressure on said surfaces, and common means for moving said membersbodily in a predetermined direction to move said surfaces in opposite drectlons.

3. A flying machine comprising a balancing surface at each side thereof,the angle of incidence of which may be varied, a flexible two-partconnection for operating said surfaces, a pivoted equalizing memberinterpolated in said connection for moving one I of said surfaces up andthe other down, a second pivoted. equalizing member interpolated in saidconnection for moving said first v mentioned surface downand the otherup,

said members being capable .of their equal-' izing motion in response tovaried air pressure d'nJs'aiid surfaces so that said surfaces mayj'inovein the same direction and said members oppositely, and common means forbodily moving said member's' in the same directionto move said surfacesin opposite directions. I

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 20th day of June D. 1910.

eLEuN CURTISS. Witnesses GoNLoN E. Lone,

LOUIS F. EDWARDS. I

